The 40th Annual Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) will begin this Thursday, May 15, with the much-anticipated screening of Jimi: All Is By My Side, the Hendrix. The biographical movie from John Ridley, Oscar-winning screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave, stars Outkast’s André Benjamin.
The 2014 festival will run from May 15 – June 8 and will screen 440 films: 198 features (plus 4 secret films), 60 documentaries, 14 archival films, and 168 shorts, representing 83 countries. The films include 44 World premieres, 30 North American premieres, and 14 U.S. premieres. The festival will also feature a wide variety of African American and African films.
During this year’s festival, SIFF will honor Chiwetel Ejiofor, the star of 12 Years a Slave, for Outstanding Achievement in Acting. Ejiofor is scheduled to appear at a special event featuring screenings of his work, an award presentation, and a Q&A session. In addition, legendary producer and Seattle native Quincy Jones will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the festival.
The Seattle Medium will have two correspondents covering this year’s festival. All of their reviews and feature articles will be available online at seattlemedium.com
